Mail receiving and delivering apparatus.



A. P. WRIGHT. MAIL RECEIVING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 11. 1908.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

6 Fyw WITNESSES INVENTOR ATTORNEY APPLETON F. WRIGHT, OF NINEVEH, INDIANA.

MAIL RECEIVING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

Application filed May 11, 1908. Serial No. 482,082.

To all whom it may con/0cm:

Be it known that I, ArrLn'roN F. WRIGHT, citizen of the United States, residing at Nineveh, in the county of Johnson and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail Receiving and Delivering Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in a mail delivering and receiving apparatus as hereinafter described in the specification and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple effective means whereby mail sacks may be delivered from and received by a moving train. I attain this object by means of the apparatus illustrated in the accom panying drawings in which like numerals of reference designate like parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of a portion of a railway showing a broken portion of the railroad car equipped with my mail receiving and delivering apparatus; Fig. 2 is a top view of the same; Fig. 3 is a broken enlarged detail side view of the socket wherein the T-end of the mail sack enga 'ng rod is removably secured; Fig. 4: is a ottom view of the same; Fig. 5 is an end view of the same; Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of the mail carrying T-piece showing the hooks whereby the mail bags are suspended; Fig. 7 is an edge view of the same; Fig. 8 is an enlarged broken detail view of a ortion of the arms whereto said mail carrying T-piece is suspended; Fig. 9 is a side view of the same; Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view of the same taken along the lines a b in Figs. 8 and 9; Fig. 11 is an enlarged broken detail view of the mail sack engaging rod; Fig. 12 is a top view of the same; Fig. 13 is an enlarged detail broken view of the arm carrying shaft and the foot bearing thereof; and, Fig. 14 is a sectional top view of said shaft taken along the line 0 (Z and looking in the directi on of the arrow a.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 9, 1 designates a broken portion of a railroad car having a door way 2 which car is provided with the usual car wheels 3 secured on the axle L and said wheels are adapted to run on the rails 5. At a proper distance from the rails 5 is situated the crane post 6 which is firmly secured to the ground. Secured to the outside of the car is the upper shaft bracket 7 and the lower shaft bracket 8 which are provided with bores into which the rounded ends of the shaft 9 are fitted to be revoluble. The shaft 9 is provided with an upper collar 10 and a lower collar 11 and the said collars are provided to retain said shaft in proper vertical position relative to their supporting bearings 7 and 8. The bottom collar 11 of said shaft is provided with a stop lip 12 which is adapted to contact with the stop lip 13 formed on the bearing 8 and the same are provided to limit the rotation of the shaft 9 when turning the same outwardly to move the arms thereof to extend outwardly into operative position. The locking means consisting of a locking bolt 1+1 which is adapted to fit into the holes 15 and 16 to lock the shaft in position to retain the arms in operative position, and when it is nemessary to revolve said shaft to move the arms thereof out of operative position to a position parallel with the side of the car, the locking bolt 14 is drawn up to release said shaft 9 and the said shaft 9 is revolved till the hole 15 registers with the hole 17 and the locking bolt 14: is insorted into the registering hole 17 to lock the shaft.

The locking bolt 14 is secured at its top end to the lug 18 of the band 19. The band 19 fits loosely around the bottom portion of the square shaft 9 so as to slide freely thereon and the said band is provided with a ring 2-0 which the operator takes hold of when he desires to slide the band 19 upwardly to move the bolt 14 out of either of the locking bores 16 and 17 to revolve the shaft 9. The lower arm 21 on the shaft 9 is provided with a boss which is provided with a rectangular square bore adapted to fit the shaft 9, and said boss 22 is firmly secured to said shaft to retain the arm 21 thereof in its relative position vertically on the shaft 9. The head portion 28 of the arm 21 is provided with said slots 24 which connect with the parallel slots 25. The center portion 26 situated between the slots 25 is provided with the tapering grooves 27 which grooves are situated directly opposite the slots 24 the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. A pulling rod 28 is pivotally connected at its forward end to the arm .21 and is provided at its other end with the hand grip 29 and a rest hook 29* is formed on the arm 21 which is provided to support the free end of said rod when not in use.

The upper arm 30 is provided with the boss 31 which boss is provided with the square bore adapted to fit the square shaft 9 and the said boss is secured in position on said shaft by the bolt 32 which passes through a bore made in the said hub and the shaft to secure the arm in position. On the end of said arm 30 is fitted and secured thereto the socket portion 33 which is bored centrally to receive the T-head 24 of the mail engaging rod 35. Near the end of said socket portion on the bottom side thereof, is formed the slot 36 which extends longitudinally from the end of the socket portion and connects with the slot 37. The slot 37 extends transversely across the socket portion to connect the ends of the longitudinally extending side slots 38 and the latter extends to connect its other end with the downwardly projecting side slots 39. The bottom por tions of the slots 39 are reenforced by the lips 40 which are provided to form a wide bearing upon which the rod 35 rests.

The set screw 11 is screwed into the socket 33 on the end thereof and the said set screw is provided for the purpose of securing the T-piece 34 in said socket 33 to firmly maintain the head 34 of the rod 35 in the slot 39. The crane post 6 is situated at a proper distance from the railroad rail 5, so that the arms of the mail delivering apparatus may be moved into operative position relatively to the side of a passing car equipped with this arran emeht of a mail delivering apparatus. "he post 6 is provided with a lower fixed arm 42 and the upper removable arm 43. The upper removab e arm 4.2 is provided with a boss 44 which is bored to fit on the top end of the post 6 and the said post is provided with a set screw 45 whereby the said arm is made secure to the post 6 The vertical shaft 46 is similar to the shaft 9 and is operated in the same manner. and is pivoted at its ends in the bores formed in the ends of the arms 42 and 43 to be revolved therein in the same manner as the shaft 9. The shaft 46 is provided at its top end with a collar 47 which is secured to said shaft by the set screw 48 and on the bottom end of said shaft is the bearing collar 49 which is secured to said shaft by a set screw or other suitable device.

The locking bolt 50 is similar to the locking bolt 1a and is provided with a like sleeve 51 which is adapted to loosely fit on the shaft 46 and said locking bolt is provided for the purpose of locking the shaft 46 in position to maintain the arms thereof in an operative position when in use, and also to lock the shaft to maintain it in osition to retain the arms thereof out 9 eperative position when not in use. The

sleeve 51 is provided with a ring 52. similar to that shown in F is. 13 and 14, which is provided for a grip or the operator to take hold of to slide said sleeve 51 upwardly on the shaft 46 to disengage the bolt 50 so that the shaft 46 may be revolved either into or out of operative osition. The arm 53 is provided with a oss 54, and a bolt 55 is passed through the bore formed in the boss 5 t and the shaft 46 to secure said arm 53 in position vertically on the shaft 46. The head 56 of the arm 53 is similar in every respect to that of the head 23 and needs no special description. The arm 57 is provided with a boss 58 and a bolt 59 is passed through the bore formed in said boss and the shaft 46 and the same is provided for the purpose of securin said arm 57 in position vertically on sai shaft. The end of the arm 57 is formed with a socket similar in form and every respect to that of the socket 333 and is provided for a similar purpose and needs no special description. The rod 60 is the same, in form and construction, as the rod 35 except that it is necessarily longer; in every other respect the said rods are alike. The mail bag suspending piece is composed of the T-piece 61 having a T-portion B2 and on said portion is formed and situated at suitable distances apart are the hooks 63 to which the suspending rings of the mail sacks are connected to be supported therefrom. On the top ends of each of said T- pieces are formed the engaging rings 64 and said rings are of such size that when the T-piece 61 is situated in position in either of the slots 24 the rings 64: thereof will partially fit and rest in either of the slots 25 and project above the top surfaces of either arm 21 and 53 to be readily engagedand lifted by the mail engaging rods 35 or 37.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows :The operator in the mail car of a train first suspends those mail sacks that he desires to deliver at a station on the hooks 63 of the T-piece 61, then places said T- piece 61 and the mail sacks in the slots 24:

in the head 23 of the arm 21 which slot 24 is When the car is moving in the direction of the arrow 3) the T-pie'ce must be placed in the rear slot 24 with the ring in the slot 25 in order to be removed from the head (see Fig. 2). The T-piece having been placed in position by the operator in the rear and the crane shaft 9 having been revolved till the arms project outwardly or in operative position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. the mail sacks are ready to be delivered. The mail to be delivered to the car from the fixed station is arranged in the same way on the arm 53 so that the mail engaging hooks 33 will engage the ring 64 of the T-piece 61 on the arm 53 of the crane and the mail engaging rod is situated in a reverse direction to that of the rod 35 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Suppose the car goin in the direction of the arrow 6 in Fig. 2, 51611 the ring 64 of the T-piece 61 resting in the slot in the head of the arm 21 is first engaged by the rod 60 and removed therefrom thereby, receiving the mail from the arm 21 on the car apparatus. Next the engaging rod 35 engages the rings 64 on the T-piece 61 suspended from the arm 53 of the crane to take the mail from the crane arm. The operator in the car then swings the shaft 9 around by means of the pulling rod 28 to take the mail sacks suspended from the rod 35 in the car. The person on the ground removes the mail sacks from the engaging rod 60 and swings the shaft 46 one quarter around so that said arms will be out of operative position and be out of the way of the passing trains.

I claim:

1. In a mail receiving and delivering apparatus, the combination with a mail car, a-vertically extending shaft situated exteriorly of the mail car, means secured to said car for supporting said shaft, an upper arm on said shaft projecting outwardly relatively to said car, a mail sack engagin rod removably secured to said arm and directed to extend forwardly or project in the direction of the motion of said mail car from said arm, said rod adapted to engage and receive the mail sacks, and a lower sack carrying arm secured on said shaft from which the mail sacks are suspended, of a crane post having upper and lower shaft supporting arms, a shaft situated vertically between and pivotally supported at its ends in the ends of said arms, a lower sack carrying arm projecting from said shaft from which the mail sacks to be delivered are suspended, a mail engaging rod removably secured to said upper arms adapted to receive the mail suspended from the lower arm on the vertical shaft carried by said car.

2. In a mail receiving and delivering apparatus, the combination with a mail car, a vertically extending shaft situated exteriorly of said car, upper and lower shaft supporting arms secured to the side of said car and extending outwardly therefrom, said shaft pivoted at its ends in the ends of said arms, an upper arm on said shaft adapted to project outwardly relatively to said car, a mail sack engagin rod removably secured to said arm and directed to extend forwardly or project in the direction of the motion of said mail car from said arm, and adapted to engage and receive the mail sacks, a lower sack carrying arm secured on said shaft from which the mail sacks are suspended, of a crane post having upper and lower shaft supporting arms, a shaft situated vertically between and pivotally supported at its ends in the ends of said arms, a lower sack carrying arm projecting from shaft from which the mail sacks to be delivered are suspended, a mail engaging rod ren'iovably secured to said upper arm and adapted to receive the mail suspended from the lower arm on the vertical shaft carried by said car.

3, in a mail receiving and delivering apparatus, the combination with a vertically extending shaft situated exteriorly of the said mail car, upper and lower shaft carrying arms secured to the side of said car and projecting outwardly therefrom, said shaft pivoted at its ends in the ends of said arms, an upper arm on said shaft projecting outwardly relative to said car, a socket formed on the end of said arm, a mail sack engaging rod, a T-piece on one end of said engaging rod, said T-piece adapted to fit in the bore of said socket, means for holding said T-piece in said socket whereby the engaging end of said engaging rod will be directed to extend forwardly or project in the direction of the motion of said mail car from said arm, said rod adapted to engage and receive the mail sacks and a lower sack carrying arm secured on said shaft from which the mail sacks are suspended, of a crane post having upper and lower shaft supporting arms, a shaft situated vertically between and pivota-lly supported at its ends in the ends of said arms, a lower sack carrying arm projecting from said shaft from which the mail sacks to be received by the car are suspended, an upper arm secured to said shaft having a socket end, a second mail sack en gaging rod, a T-head on one end of said rod adapted to fit in the bore of said socket, said mail receiving rod adapted to receive the mail suspended from the lower arm on the vertical shaft carried by said car.

4. In a mail receiving and delivering apparatus, the combination with a mail car, a vertically extending shaft situated exteri orly of said car, upper and lower shaft supporting arms secured to said car, said lower arm provided with looking bolt receiving bores, of a lower collar on said shaft having a bore adapted to register with either of said locking bolt receiving bores, and a locking bolt adapted to fit said bores.

5. In a mail receiving and delivering apparatus the combination with a mail car, a vertically extending shaft situated exteriorly of said car, upper and lower shaft supporting arms secured to said car, said lower arm provided with locking bolt receiving bores, of a lower collar on said shaft having a bore adapted to register with either of said bores in said arm, a locking bolt adapted to fit said bores, and a guiding sleeve loosely fitted on said shaft to slide thereon whereto said locking bolt is secured at its end.

(i. In a mail receiving and delivering apparatus, the combination with a vertically extending shaft situated exteriorly of said car, upper and lower shaft carrying arms secured to the side of said car and projecting outwardly therefrom, said shaft pivoted at its ends in the ends of said upper and lower shaft carrying arms, of an arm on said shaft having a T-formed slot with the head of the T directed inwardly of said arm, a mail sack suspension piece of T-form,

sack engaging hooks arranged at suitable 15 and a ring adapted to fit in said T-head of 20 said slot.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

APPLETON F. WRIGHT.

\Vitnesses.

GEORGE A. MAvrrY, WILLIAM M. KENTON. 

